Method and means for manufacturing and repairing shirts



J. s. MERENNA METHOD AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING AND REPAIRING SHIRTS Filed Oct. 30. 1924 Patented Feb. 7, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OHN S. MERENNA, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-TENTH TO HERBERT I B. MOSES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

METHOD AND MEANs r03 MANUFACTURING AND REPAIRING snm'rs.

Application filed October 30, 1924. Serial No. 746,768.

lVIy invention relates to a method of repairing worn or torn shirts as well as to an improved neckband, for carrying out said method. 7 1

It is a well known fact that mens shirts in a large number of instances, first show fsignsv of wear in, the front, adjacent the neckband, due to'rubbing of the collar, and to the strains occasioned by ironing them. This rubbing produces a hole in the bosom of the shirt anywhere between the front collar button and the seam securing the yoke to the bosom of the shirt. It has heretofore become necessary for the wearer to have the shirt repaired with a patch which is unsightly, or to .discardthe shirt.

An object of my' invention is torepair the shirt in a neat and sightly manner, and the means therefor, and I have devised an improved neckbandby the use of which the shirt may be fixed so it can be worn, without it showing any indication of having been repaired.

The invention comprises a combination of parts and steps in the method.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a shirt with one'of my improved neckbands thereon in the position it occupies when the shirt is first made;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing-the neck band in the position after the shirt'isrepaired;

I -Fig. 3 1s a sectional view on the line 33 'of Fig. 1',

Fig. 4 is a view showing one form of the front portions of the neckband; and

Fig. 5 is a view showing a modified form. The bosom 1 of the shirt is sewed to the yoke 2 at the seam 3, the yoke extending across the back and over the shoulders, and

rality of sections, preferably three 3), sewed together. For example, the section 6 comprises the greater part of the neckband to form the back thereof, and is sewed to the yoke 2 throughout its length, its ends being on a line with the seams 8 It is referably made of four plies of materia, although this number may be varied as desired, and the plies are stitched together along their upper and lower edges,-except that at a point midway between the ends the lower stitching securing the two outer plies to the inner plies is omitted to permit Ofinsertion of a collar button, and the outer plies at this point are formed with the back button hole 7 in the usual manner. At the ends, the inner plies are cut short of the outer plies forming a pocket 8, the lines of stitching along the edges defining the upper and lower edges of the pocket, the extreme outer and inner plies forming the walls thereof. I p

The front sections 10 of the neckband are also preferably, but not necessarily, made of four plies of material stitched along their edges, and at their meeting ends they are provided with buttonholes 11 in the usual manner. At their other ends, the inner plies extend beyond the outer plies to form the tongues 9, and'thus each tongue is an integral part. of each of the sections 10 of the neckband.

If desired, the tongues and pockets may be reversed.

It will be clear that the tongues being of a two-ply thickness, and the pockets being equal to two pli'es of thickness, the tongues can readily be secured in the pockets witln out causing any undue thickness at this point, in the case'of four-ply bands, which would be uncomfortable "to the wearer of the shirt. V

ther provision can be made for the pockets and tongues, but I prefer that above described'.',For example, alternate plies may be out shortito, provide pockets or the equivalents thereof on one section of the neckband, while other alternate plies may be cut I short on the other section thereof to pro-= vide alternate tongues corresponding to the other. buttons and buttonholes of the shirt,

intheform shown in Fig. 5, an enlargement Y tion. shown,

iirst mentioned section. In fact, any desired method of forming the pockets and tongues may be used.

The tongues are tapered and are of somewhat less width than the pockets, which pockets are substantially the width of the neckband, so "that each tongue before it is stitched in the pocket can have a certain amount of vertical movement therein, for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

If desired, a strip or yoke piece 12 may be formed as part of each section 10 and extend outwardly toward the sleeve, under the yoke, the stitching of seam 3 securing the st ipto the yoke. This strip serves to reinforce the yoke at the shoulder, when the latter is made of one ply. offabric, but when made of more than one ply, the strip may be dispensed with, if desired.

If, after continued. use, a short bosom becomes worn adjacent the neckband, the sections 10 are ripped offand a strip is then cut oifthe upper edge of the bosom, on a line 15 with the lower edge of the worn portion. The same sections 10, or other sections 10 of v the required shape, are then sewed onto the shirt bosom, and the tongues 9 being of less height than the pocket and tapered, allow themembers to be swung down to -the lowcred upp'eredge of thebosom. The tongue is, of course, sewed intothe pocket, as it was f efront collar button being slightly lower than This results in the holes for the they were originally, but when the shirt is again worn, the neckband will adjust itself to the neck of the wearer. This will raise the front of the neckband to the original position, causing a slight pull on the front of the shirt, but it will not be enough to cause any bulging or, discomfort to'the wearer. The uppermostbutton 17 of the shirt, the buttonhole 18 corresponding thereto, as well asthe may be so adjusted. withrelation to their distance from the neckband that the raising of the bosom on making the repair will not cause the buttons to. assumean unsightly or uncomfortable position.

different shapes, according to requirements.

"In the form shown in Fig. i the end having the buttonhole is; curved. upwardlyiwhile 13 protrudes from the lower edge to take care of an; unusually. large hole in'the posi- It also possible to make. the, sections forming the. neckband different lengthsto take care of holes worn through the yoke back of where sections 10 join sections 6 of .theneckbahd. When thishappens, the en- ,tire; neckband may be removed and new back member, shorterthan the original one,

secured to the shirt. Thetorn part of the neckband sections depending upon the position of the line along which the shirt is to be cut when making the repair.- However, a great many different shapes are not essential, a small number which can be carried in stock being sufficient for ordinary repair work.

What I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and what I claim is:

1. A1 shirt having a neckband consisting of sections sewed together and to the shirt,

the, connection between the sections being by means of pockets and tongues in the pockets, the number of plies "at the joint being the same as in the body part of the neckband.

2. The method of repairing worn or torn shirts consisting of removing the front sections of a neckband made of several parts, cutting away the bosom of the shirt adjacent the neckband, and securing in place neckbandsections shaped to accommodate the cutaway partof the bosom.

3. The herein described method of'repairinn worn or torn shirtshaving a sectional,

neckband which consists in removing the front sections of the neckband, cutting away the bosom partof the shirt to eliminate the worn or torn part thereof, and securing properly shaped front sections of the neck: band to the back section thereof and to'the b m- 4:. As an article of manufacture a neck band consisting of sections and adapted to.

be sewed to a shirt, the connection between the sections being by means of pockets and tongues in thepockets, the number of plies of the joint being the same. as in the body part of theneck band. v

5. A replacing front neckband section for shirts designed to replace a front replaceable section ina sectional neckband. said replaceable section having means to secure'the same to aback neckband section and havinga The sections 10 may be made of several,

6. A. replaclng front neckbandsection for shirtsdesigned to replace afront replaceable sectlon n a sectional shirt neckband, said re- I placeable section having meanstosecurethe h when said replacing section-is attached same to a back neckband section and having a button hole adapted to register with a second button hole in the shirt'neckband, said ton hole registerable With said second button hole, said replacing section having a pro ection at a portion only of the lower edge adapted to register lower on the shirt than the replaceable section When said replacing section is attached and aligned.

JOHN S. MERENNA. 

